International Artist Visits the BVI

International Inspiration – Visiting Artist Petra Lovrekovic and the 2014 Caribbean Arts and Crafts Festival

Photography provided by the artist

The results of creativity whether writing, painting or music are often a reflection of the artist’s personality, ethos and social environments. Having explored many countries, seen an array of incredible sites, and met many people from around the globe, Mixed Media artist Petra Lovrekovic who will take part in the BVI’s 2014 Caribbean Arts and Crafts Festival, is a model illustration of this theory.

When asked about her artistic ingenuity, Petra would say that her inspiration is drawn from nature’s intrinsic beauty, incredible architectural design and the humility found while making connections with people through art.

Born in Mainz, Germany, Petra’s art skills and influences have been stimulated by her well-travelled upbringing and lifestyle.

Living in Germany, Croatia, France, America, Italy and the United Kingdom throughout her adolescent years, Petra became a linguist, which helped her communication with people of different nationalities. Her artistic career decorated her with a BTEC Diploma in General Art & Design at Cambridge Arts and Sciences in the UK, and a BA (Hons) in Fine Art specialising in Landscape Painting from University College Falmouth also in the UK.

Working as an artist for over 20 years, she was first inspired by Toulouse-Lautrec, Claude Monet and Vincent Van Gogh with many of her early works emulating their style. Currently, her interest in Expressionism and Contemporary Art are more pertinent to her style.

Standing by her love of nature, Petra advocates that contrary to popular belief, perfection can be found in this world through simplicity.

“Some say there is no such thing as perfection or as Salvador Dali said ‘Have no fear of perfection – you’ll never reach it’, but you can see perfection everywhere in nature,” she said in reference to the Earth’s natural splendour which continues to stimulate her creativity.

Discussing the structure of great architectural designs that attracted her to fine art during her childhood, Petra fell in love with Split [in Croatia]: “They have white stone all around the city. It’s a famous sandstone and comes from the Island of Brac – it’s actually the same stone used to partly build the White House.

“Split is a city that’s very old,” she continued. “Over 1700 years old…the Roman Emperor Diocletian built his winter residence in Split. We have the beautiful Palace of Emperor Diocletian built at the turn of the fourth century in this wonderful white sandstone.”

A strong advocate of travel, living in various countries, and meeting people, she ardently believes these experiences broaden horizons and inspire her creativity. “To have interaction with so many different people from various backgrounds… when you find a connection, such a humble and beautiful feeling comes from this.”

Being raised in many countries, semiotics—the study of signs and symbols and how they are used—feature prominently in her work, since it’s been an important form of communication in her journey between different cultures: “Nothing makes me happier than to see somebody relate to my work,” she said. “Their heart recognises my heart…I put my honesty into the work and they relate to it…what more could I wish for?”

In 2009, she accomplished what she described as a great physical and emotional challenge in self-discovery walking the Camino de Santiago de Compostela; a unique pilgrimage that has been conducted since the Middle-Ages. Subsequently, she has completed four of the routes offered and kept a visual diary on her way, walking up to 1000km a time. This astonishing achievement inspired walking as an intricate part of her artistic life. It not only allows her to see the locations that she wishes to paint from a raw, personal perspective, but also makes her art even more alive by being ‘in the moment.’

Petra’s skill in Mixed Media truly parallels her multitude of inspirations. “I’ve never really focused on one medium unless it’s a pencil drawing or an ink drawing,” she said. “I don’t work only in watercolours or acrylics or oil. I really like to layer and there are certain rules that one has to respect as an artist – you can’t paint with a watercolour on top of an oil colour, but you can certainly do it vice versa.”

Travelling has been a strong support for the mastery of her art form – “I can’t bring my entire studio along with all my oil colours for example. Sometimes I will use the materials I find to hand like taking a piece of string and a little bit of mud and creating with that.”

Using coloured adhesive tape was a revolutionary and unique device for Petra, adding colour to her art when she was travelling and didn’t possess the necessary tools to do so. It also allowed her to create three-dimensional effects in her work. “I’ve attempted to perfect techniques” she said, commenting on novel devices she employs in her work. “When I see that I can create the image of an etching with some masking tape and paint, I find that’s so exciting… it’s experimental.”

Arriving at one of the central themes in her work, absorbed from all her life experiences, she said, “One of the things that inspires me is that there’s always contrast in life. There is always the positive and the negative. There is always the high and the low – there can’t be a high without a low, there can’t be light without shadow.” Based on this theory, Petra envisages her art with a hypothesis of binary opposites and this is reflected in the light and dark often utilised.

Fascinated by the hilly landscape of the BVI during her visits in 2007, 2012 and 2013, she has been encouraged by the territory’s stunning display of flora and fauna. Petra took many long walks; one in 2012 encompassing Horsepath in Road Town to Trellis Bay where she sketched along the way, producing 30 unique ink drawings on paper. She felt the varied climate along the walk and arduous task of the trek, enhanced her artistic ability and she discovered that the BVI represents what she continually explores in “different cultures, different people, different nationalities and different background stories.”

Taking part in the Caribbean Arts and Crafts Festival in 2012 she was pleased that as a newcomer she was welcomed into the art community and her work was well-received.

“My aim is to show an honest way in the world,” she commented when speaking about her raison d’être.

With commissions to paint in the USA, exhibitions in Germany showing impressions of the ‘Camino de Santiago de Compostela’, solo shows in Croatia over the past two years, and works exhibited in the permanent collections at the ‘Galleria d’Arte Cafiso’ in Milan, Italy where she lived for 5 years, she’s also showcased in the United Kingdom.

She was recently the resident artist on board a Paul Gauguin cruise, the Tere Moana at the end of 2013 and found great pleasure in leading workshops with guests and painting different islands while spreading her passion around the Caribbean. She is planning two similar cruises as resident artist on board in spring 2014 in Italy and Croatia.

“Life is about giving and receiving,” Petra concluded, alluding to her belief about the importance of binary opposites. The artist is adamant that in painting, she’s giving something back to the world and receiving joy from the happiness aroused by her pieces.

Petra will be exhibiting and painting at the Caribbean Arts and Crafts Festival at Trellis Bay March 8-12. The festival invites artists to share their culture and art with the BVI community. She is currently living and working in the BVI and New York.